History of Flight
The accident occurred on September 28, 2018, at 1057 Alaska daylight time, about 60 miles northwest of Gustavus, Alaska. The helicopter, N907PL, was destroyed. The purpose of the flight was to deliver the newly-purchased helicopter from the Airbus factory in Texas to Anchorage, with stops for sightseeing, fuel, and rest. The trip began on September 25 and included more than 30 stops. The accident flight departed Juneau International Airport heading north toward Yakutat at low altitude parallel to the shoreline. The surviving passenger stated that the pilot asked about landing on a beach, then initiated a right turn and descent. The pilot pulled up on the collective and rolled the throttle off. The helicopter entered a free fall from about 500 ft agl, then the pilot increased throttle around 30 ft agl before impact. The passenger heard the pilot yell "NO" before impact.
Personnel Information
The pilot had 59 hours of helicopter flight experience and completed transition training for the AS350-B3e on June 4, 2018, including 3 hours flight and 1 hour simulator. He later accumulated additional time in an AS350-B2 model. The safety pilot was the owner and director of operations for helicopter operators in Alaska. The surviving passenger attended ground school but was not a pilot.
Aircraft Information
The Airbus Helicopters AS350-B3e had a three-bladed main rotor, two-bladed tail rotor, dual hydraulic system, and a Genesys Aerosystems HeliSAS autopilot. The collective-mounted twist grip throttle has IDLE and FLIGHT positions. The airframe had about 13.7 hours at delivery, with an estimated 25-30 hours accumulated by the accident.
Meteorological Information
The National Weather Service forecast marginal VFR conditions with no low-level turbulence. FAA cameras showed broken to overcast clouds and clear visibility. The onboard recorder showed light rain that stopped about 7 minutes before the accident.
Wreckage and Impact
The main fuselage was found on a beach on its left side, partially embedded in sand. The forward structure separated, and the tail boom was not found. The fuel tank contained about 25 gallons of fuel with evidence of saltwater. Examination of the engine and airframe did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions.
Flight Recorder Data
The Appareo Vision 1000 recorded images, audio, and data. At 10:57:34.75, the pilot moved his left hand to the twist grip. At 10:57:35.25, he rotated the twist grip to IDLE. The red warning light illuminated. Over the next seconds, rotor speed decreased. Both pilots began manipulating controls. At 10:57:47.00, the pilot rotated the twist grip back toward FLIGHT. The helicopter impacted shortly after.
Additional Information
Fuel sample from JNU tested negative for contamination. The safety pilot did not guard controls during previous flights. The RFM notes that in an autorotation, the helicopter yaws right and warnings activate. The twist grip can be returned to FLIGHT at any time.